Do Re MiC D E

Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me

Ellington Duke4/4medium-swing

Chord Diagrams — Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me in G (Guitar)

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Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me in G

Key of G

G major is the singer-songwriter's key. The open G, B, and D strings spell out the full G major triad with zero fretting. Add the open high E for a Gadd6 shimmer. Nearly every diatonic chord (Em, Am, C, D) has a comfortable open voicing. G is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open G, B, and D strings form a complete G major triad without fretting a single note, and the open low E adds a rich 6th color. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to E (descending half step), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to F (descending whole step), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to D# (ascending unison), D# to B (descending major third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from E to G by minor third.

Scales for Improvisation

G major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, G Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

medium-swing4/4 · 32 bars · Form: ABA

Chords: Gmaj7, Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, Cm7, F7♯11, E7♯5, A7, D7, Am7, G6, Fm7, A♯7, D♯maj7, D♯7, Bm7, E7.

Scales for Improvisation G bebop, G bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of G